Electric signaling apparatus for railways.



J. E. COLAS. ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

' APPLICATION FILED DEC.5| I913.

9m Patented July 10, 1917.

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Patented July 10, 191?.

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J. E. COLAS. ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILED 050.5, I91

Patented July 10, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 3 J/forzzey J. E. COLAS. ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RA IL'WAYS.

AEPLICATION F|LED DEC. 5, 1913.

Patented July 10, 1917.

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J. E. COLAS. ELECTRIC SIGNALING APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS. APPLICATION FILEDIDECJ. 1 913.

Patented July 10, 1917.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

J. E. COLAS.

ELECTRIC SIGNAUNG APPARATUS FOR RAILWAYS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 5. 1,913.

Patented July 10, 1917.

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JOSEPH ERNEST GOLAS, OF CREIL, FRANCE.

Application filed December To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JosnrH Emvns'r COLAS, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Creil, Oise, France, have invented a new and useful Improved Electric Signaling Apparatus for Railways, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object improvements relating to contact devices for closing electric circuits. These improvements are especially applicable to contacts which in consequence of their practical'application are subjected to atmospheric influences (hear frost, snow, etc.) as for instance, in the case of electric contacts operated on railway lines.

In accordance with this inventionthe contact of this type, subjected to atmospheric influence and liable consequently to be covered with a layer of insulating material is so constructed that immediately before it is required to operate, it shallbe relieved automatically from t he layer of insulating material which may be covering it, or alternatively, it shall be normally protected against the layer by means of a mobile protectiiig device, which is removed automatically in order to expose the surface of the conductor in question immediately before the entry of the latter into operation, and the protective device is arrange to recover the conductor immediately afterward and automatically, the formation and the adherence of the said insulating layer being moreover resisted by insuring in any convenient manner the production of a coating of fatty matter or of petrol, lycerin or the like upon the outer surface of the contact in question.

In order to facilitate the understanding of this specification, it as been illustrate by way of example in the accompanying drawings as follows 2- Figure 1 shows a diagram in lateral elevation of the combination of an apparatus constructed according to the present invention, and applied to a contact placed upon a railway line, the source of the electric circuit which it is devised to close, being supposed to be carried by a locomotive.

Fig. 2 shows a lateral elevation of the arrangement of the improved contact above described and of its mounting.

Figs. 3 and a show plan and front eleva- Spec'ification of Letters Patent.

Patented J uly 1d, 1917.

5, 1913. Serial No. 80 L899.

tion respectively of the aforesaid mechanism.

Fig. 5 shows a transverse sectional elevation of a modification of the contact itself.

Figs. 6 and 7 are respectively side elevation and front elevation of another construction of the improved apparatus in question. Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic side elevation. Figs. 9 and 10 diagrammatic end tions showing alternative positions of a furthermodified construction in accordance with the invention, while Fig. 10 is a view in lefthand end of Fig. 8 7

Figs. 11 and 12 are diagrams showing another modification of the apparatus in question. Y

Figs. 13 and 14: show part elevation and part plan of a further modification of he apparatus.

Figs. 15 and 16 show sections on a larger scale respectively on the lines XV; V and XVI-1 VI of Figs. 13 and 14: viewed from left to right.

Fig. 17 shows afurther modification and Figs. 18 and 19 are sid section on line XVTIT XVIII respectively of still a further modified construction.

The same letters indicate the same elements in the various figures of the drawing. In the first example illustrated, it is supposed that C represents a contact arranged on a railway track V and devised to cooperate with another contact M, carried by thelocomotive, the same contact M being connected by means of the conductor C to one of the terminals of a source of electricity S. The other terminal of this source is supposed to be connected by the conductor C to a working apparatus of some kin which is again connected to ground by a conductor m; consequently when the contact M cooperates with the conducting surface 1 of the contact C the circuit from t e source of electricity S ground traversing the part A. A brush or scraper B, the purpose whereof will be eX- plained hereafter is also fitted upon the locomotive in front of the contact M and at a iven distance from this latter, preferably a greater distance than the length of the contact G.

The arrow D indicates the direction followed by the locomotive on thetrack V.

perspective of the elevais completed. throughe elevation and. B0

one or more eounterweights In the construction illustratedin Figs. 2 to 4. of

t e accoinpanying drawing, the conseen that the cylinder forming the rotating, is comblned w th'a p1ece8 forming a loop upon which I p 9, which can swing upon an axle l whlch is supported in any" convenient manner by ing bearings for the p On'the other hand, there are provided to the axle of the pedal 9.

V ment of these icounterweights in their movement' in returning to the normal position is V moreover limited by stops 13 which insure i 7 two ratchet w appears placed the return intoposition of a system of con trol by catches arranged as follows heloop 8 has two catches orother suitab e engagement organs such as 14 and 15, cooperat ng respectively with one of the heels, one only, l6'of which I for this purpose on the base of the cylinder 0.

' n er theseconditions, the improved sys v temof the present invention will operate as of pedal catches I scribed could also follow 1 yv e' li brush B which is fixed upon the ocomotive passes per M en comes in contact with the said certainty the cirtie working apparatus 'hej system of positive control by means and gearing above de 7 e replaced by a system of control by f g the con- 'struction' at the end of the cylinder '0 of r helicoidal groovesofvery gentle-pitch (see Fig. 18.) andjwhich would engage the brush here would be produced in this manrequired displacement of its This is described more in connection with drawings.

intotheinteriorof the cylinder G a certain e source of electricity S With fi surface quantity of petrol G, which oozes out through the little orifices F plugged with the non-conducting coating into fine particles which are easily detached from the surface of the said cylinder.

In the method of construction illustrated in Figs; 6 and? of the drawing, the cylinder is immovably fixer, but it is combined with a .kind of protecting device or oscillate upon the 1 and J is effected by over the pedal 9 and by means of a counterweight N preferably connected to a dash pot P of a rod Q. This ash pot pivoted at Rupon a fixed placed' upon surfacel of the cylinder C to or asufiicient time to permit it to cooperate with the contact M carried by the locomotive. T16 cover J then closes automatically, revolving in the direction indicated by the arrow 0 (Fig. 7). Figs. 8, 9, l0 and 10 represent a modieation of the arrangement of the 0 covering device of the contact C abovedescribed.

n this modification the protective covermg is made in two parts J J which can respectively oscillate upon the axles K K are combined with the retaining weights N N which according to the position which they occupy in regard to e, vertical plane, maintain blinds or screens closed over the upper surface of the contact C or open so, as to leave the said surface free.

he motions of these blinds or screens controlled by two pedals 18. corresponds to t and operates e uncovered are I 19 one of which he opening of said of the said screens, while the other corresponding to the closure of said'screens, opcrates upon their controlling levers T, T underneath, causing their return over the contact G. c

The distance which separates the contact edals must be so calculated that the contact M may always encounter the conduct ing surface of the contact C at the require moment.

In order to insure the distribution over the outer surface 1 of the contact cylinder 0 of the layer of fatty matter above mentioned which is intended to prevent formation of frost or the like and to diminish its adherence, one may also employ the arrangement shown in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawing.

In this arrangement, there is provided in the interior of the cylinder 0 a concentric receptacle II communicating at its ends 20 with a receptacle II and which serves to supply the lubricant; wicks such as I insure the distribution of the lubricant over the internal surface of the contact G and from thence through the little holes or orifices F plugged with absorbent material its distribution over the outer surface of said cylinder.

Obviously, the hollow ends 20 of the reservoir II will be preferably utilized as supports for the contact cylinder G in which the rotary motion will be controlled by the above described mechanisms 2- The invention described is moreover capable of further modification for the purpose of simplifying its construction and o rendering more certain the results aimed at.

Referring to Figs.- 13 to 17 of the drawing, there is illustrated a construction 0 the contact device by means of a bar a of. suitable length formed of cast or wrought iron supported at both ends by means 0 shackles I; screwed or bolted on the projecting castings 0 which permit of the brush or scraper carried by the locomotive mounting on it without a jerk, these projecting parts being attached by means 0 bolts 6 or ot erwise on the parts d which are themselves fixed by means of the screws f to the sleepers.

The part a which constitutes the essential element of the contact is made of cast or o wrought iron and is supported .at a given distance above the track and open at its lower part, which is, in this case held by means of rigid bars 9 secured by means of rivets h or otherwise to the body of the piece a. At the upper part of this latter there is provided a little receptacle i closed by means of a cover j ma e in two or more pieces which may be joined together by means of rivets (Fig. 16) or in a single piece in here are then formed openings Z which can be closed by means of screw plugs (Fig. 17). In this receptacle i are placed layers of absorbent material which are maintained soaked with petrol or glycerin or with some fatty body which can exude to the exterior even locomotive.

can be left through capillary orifices such as are formed by the joinings of the sheets; held by'means of the rivets 70 as shown in Fig. 16, or through the orifices Z closed by screw plugs as shown in Fig. 7. I In order to make 70 sure of its exudation and to increase its amount if necessary, there may be interposed between the sheets a wick I of suitable thickness lipping into the receptacle 2', as shown in Fig. 17.

The contact a is put into communication with earth by means of a conductor a, a. The wire a forming one of the elements 0 this conductor is coiled upon a terminal 0 mounted upon the part 39 fixed on one of the 30 bars 9. In order to insure the absolute contact of the part 0 with 79 there is arrange above this part a little spring push Q which serves to keep the terminal pressed upon its seating. A hinged door 7 kept closed by means of the bolt 8 permits of easy access to the interior of the part a whenever it is needful to repair a defective contact.

In Figs. 18 and 19 an embodiment is illustrated inwhich a rotary contact cylinder is combined with an oscillatory cover and with means for producing a film of lubricant upon the conductor. In these figures theboth as a contact brush, as

for

shutter. those shown in Fig. 8 are employed. The arrow shows the direction of travel of the The pedal 18 is first depressed, and by means of a crank T acting on a crank S the cover or shutter J is withdrawn from the top of the signaling rail owing to the oscillation of the shaft K This action is the same as described in connection with Figs. 8 to 10. The signal cylinder or conducting cylinder C is now ex posed and the brush M comes into contact with the cylinder C upon the surface 1 as described in connection with Fig. 2. At the opposite end of the cylinder, however, the latter is provided with helical grooves 3 of gentle pitch. The brush M enters one of these and during its axial passage rotates the cylinder C a definite amount. As shown in the drawing, this is equal to one-twelfth of a revolution and a fresh contact surface is presented to the brush upon the next locomotive to pass. The cylinder 0 is retaine in its new position by means of a ball stop 34 pressed by a spring 35. The brush M then breaks contact with the cylinder G and strikes the pedal 19. By cranks T and S the cover which is similar to that shown in Fig. 7 is restored to the covering posi tion over the cylinder G. Both the pedals 18 and 19 are provide with counterweights W- and W as shown in Figs. 8 and 10. The central portion of the cylinder 0 is provided with lubricating rings exactly of the 130 za ports uplioldlng said bar, onv

Fag;

5. There I for rlcant over theisur type shoivn'in'Fig. voir. H with Wicks oflu is an oil reserace of the cylini What I, clainiis! 3 apparatus for electrical signaling on railways, a conducting signaling railparallel 'tothe running rails, supports maintaining said. signaling railin position upon the sleepers, an apparatus upon a locomotive means upon said locomotlvc rotating 1113113 covering said signaling moved upon the-approach of the locomotive andfrestored: after the passage of the latter, and meansfor spreading a filmof lubricant over the outside surface of said signaling "rail;

'2. In apparatusforelectric signaling onrailways, acylind-rical, rotatable, metal bar parallelto the railway rails, means operable by: a passing locomotive for rotating said bar, apparatuson said locomotive. arranged o come intoelectrical contact said-bar While the locomotive travels over be adjacent; rails, and a fixed scrubbing device for, removing any insulating coating from the surface of said'bar'during rotation ofgthejlatter. a f I In apparatus for' electric-signaling on railways, a cylindrical transmitelectriccurrent and placed parallel to t1e.track-,.'supports upholding said bar arranged With the while the locomotive travadjacent rails, and a scrubbing ie device for removing any insulating coating from; the surfacexof-said bar.

In apparatus for electric slgnalingon V railways, a cylindrical metal bar adapted to transmit electric current and placed electric current, means, for lubricating the bar, apparatus ona locomo- 5;:

Copiesoi this;patentmay spreading a film mg said metal bar adapted to side surface of said bar.

come into electrical contact rbe obtained for five cents each, by r e Washington, D. 0;

with the said bar While thelocomotive travels over the adjacent rails, and means for removing any insulating coating from the surface of said bar.

In apparatus for electrical railways, the-combination of a conductive signaling rail supported parallel track rails, a rocking cover-normally coversignaling rail the approach of the locomotive, a. pedal located,

signaling. 011

a p pnoa ch es, and said cover depression of the pedal, a second pedal arranged at the opposite end of saidsignaling rail but located 'n the path of the locomotive to be depressed thcreb and connections between said pedal and said cover for restoring said cover to its.

In apparatus for electrical railways, the combination of a conducting signaling rail parallel to the running rails, means for supporting said signaling rail in position upon the sleepers, a reservoir of lubricant supported upon said apparatus, and means for conducting said lubricant in t 1 in films upon the-surface of said. signaling signaling on In: testimony whereof I have name to this specification in the presence of two: subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH ERNESTCOLAS. lVitnesses HANSON O. Coxn,

JACK H. BAKER.

addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

to. the.

but removed upon for removing the latter upon: 

